Chrysanthemum plant named `Bronze Pilar`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named `Bronze Pilar` characterized by its anemone spray-type inflorescences that are about 7.5 cm in diameter; attractive bronze ray florets with yellow-tipped disc florets; numerous inflorescences per flowering stem; numerous ray and disc florets per inflorescence; and excellent postproduction longevity with flowering stems maintaining good substance and color for about three to four weeks in an interior environment after one week of cool storage.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora andreferred to by the cultivar name Bronze Pilar.

The new cultivar is a product of a mutation induction breeding programconducted by the inventor in Fort Myers, Fla., and Salinas, Calif. Theobjective of the program is to create new Chrysanthemum cultivars havinginflorescences with desirable form and floret colors, good substance,and excellent post-production longevity.

The new cultivar originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of theChrysanthemum cultivar Pilar (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,331)to a X-ray radiation level of 1,750 rads on Mar. 9 , 1995 in Fort Myers,Fla. Following the radiation treatment, the cuttings were rooted andterminal apices were removed (pinched) three times to promote lateralbranch development. After lateral branches from the third pinch reachedsufficient size, terminal cuttings were harvested, planted and floweredin a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. The cultivar Bronze Pilarwas discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plantwithin this population on Sep. 20, 1995. The selection of this plant wasbased on its desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, goodsubstance, and excellent post-production longevity. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Salinas, Calif., plants of the newChrysanthemum differ from plants of the parent cultivar, Pilar, in rayfloret color as plants of Pilar have purple-colored ray florets.Additionally plants of the new Chrysanthemum have stems that are about 5cm shorter and flower about two days later than plants of Pilar. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Salinas, Calif., plants of the newChrysanthemum have also been compared to other similar cultivars such asDark Pilar (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. Application Ser. No.08/867/701). Plants of the Dark Pilar also differ from plants of the newChrysanthemum in ray floret color as plants of Dark Pilar havepurple-colored ray florets. Additionally plants of the new Chrysanthemumhave stems that are about 7.5 cm shorter and flower about two days laterthan plants of Dark Pilar.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Salinas, Calif., has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

The cultivar Bronze Pilar has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Bronze Pilar`. These characteristicsin combination distinguish `Bronze Pilar` as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Anemone spray-type inflorescences that are about 7.5 cm in diameter.

2. Attractive bronze florets with yellow-tipped disc florets.

3. Numerous inflorescences per stem.

4. Numerous ray and disc florets per inflorescence.

5. Excellent postproduction longevity with flowering stems maintaininggood substance and color for about three to four weeks in an interiorenvironment after one week of cool storage.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typicalflowering stem of `Bronze Pilar` grown as a single-stem spray cutChrysanthemum.

The second photograph comprises a side perspective view of typicalinflorescences of the cultivar Bronze Pilar.

The third photograph comprises a top perspective view of upper (top) andlower (bottom) surfaces of typical inflorescences of the cultivars Pilar(left) and Bronze Pilar (right) which shows the difference in ray floretcolors.

The fourth photograph comprises a top perspective view of the uppersurfaces of typical leaves of the cultivar Bronze Pilar at two differentstages of development. Floret and foliage colors in the photographs maydiffer from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif., undercommercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. Day and nighttemperatures ranged from 18° to 24° C. and 16° to 17° C., respectively,and light levels ranged from 2,500 to 3,500 footcandles. Rooted cuttingswere planted Feb. 6, 1997 and cut flowers were harvested on Apr. 17,1997. After planting rooted cuttings of the new cultivar, plantsreceived three weeks of long day/short nights following by shortday/long nights until flowering. Plants were grown as single-stem, thatis, without pinching. Measurements and numerical values representaverages for six typical flowering stems.

Botanical classification: Dendrathema grandiflora cultivar Bronze Pilar.

Commercial classification: Anemone spray-type cut Chrysanthemum.

Parentage: Induced mutation of Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar Pilar(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,331).

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.--Seven to ten days with soil temperatures of 21C.

Rooting habit.--Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.--Perennial herbaceous anemone spray-type cut flower. Stemsupright, uniform habit and freely branching.

Flowering stem length.--About 99 cm.

Foliage description.--Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Leaf size, fullyexpanded: Length: About 12 cm. Width: About 9.5 cm. Leaf apex:Cuspidate. Leaf base: Attenuate. Leaf margin: Deeply lobed. Leaftexture: Upper and lower surfaces pubescent. Veins prominent on lowersurface. Color: Young foliage upper surface: 147A. Young foliage lowersurface: 147B. Mature foliage upper surface: 147A. Mature foliage lowersurface: 147B. Venation upper surface: 147B. Venation lower surface:147B. Petiole: Length: About 2.5 cm. Color: 147B.

Flowering description:

Appearance.--Anemone-type inflorescence form. Inflorescences borne onterminals, arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets arrangedacropetally on a receptacle.

Flowering response.--Under natural conditions, plants flower in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to three weeks of long day/short night conditions after plantingfollowed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about49 days later.

Postproduction longevity.--In an interior environment, flowering stemswill maintain good color and substance for about three to four weeks inan interior environment after one week of cool storage.

Quantity of inflorescences.--About 12 inflorescences per flowering stem.

Inflorescence size.--Diameter: About 7.5 cm. Depth (height): About 1.7cm. Diameter of disc: About 4 cm. Diameter of receptacle: About 8 mm.

Ray florets.--Shape: Elliptic to oblanceolate. Size: Length: About 3.6cm. Width: About 1 cm. Apex: Rounded to finely dentate. Base: Attenuate.Margin: Entire. Texture: Satiny, smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Mostly flatto slightly cupped. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 56.Color: When opening: Upper surface: 168A/168B. Lower surface: 171C.Mature: Upper surface: 168A at base, 168B at center, and 168C/167C atapex. Lower surface: 168D.

Disc florets.--Shape: Tubular during early development becomingoblanceolate to spatulate with further development. Apex: Dentate. Size(largest): Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: Apex: About 6 mm. Base: About 1mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 220. Color:Immature: Apex: 154A. Base: White. Mature: Tube: Apex: 9A. Mid-section:168C/168D. Base: 9A. Throat: Apex: 168A/168B. Base: 9A.

Peduncle.--Aspect: Strong and angled about 55° to the stem. Length:First peduncle: About 6.25 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 9 cm. Seventhpeduncle: About 12.5 cm. Texture: Fine pubescence. Color: 147B.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: 9A. Pollen: Moderate, 9A in color. Gynoecium: Present on both rayand disc florets.

Disease resistance: No known Chrysanthemum diseases observed to date onplants grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed `Bronze Pilar`, as illustrated and described.